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Some times the fish are biting so good that you will remember it for the rest of your life. Today was one of those days. Sonia called me yesterday evening. we had both been out on the ice Sunday, but I had to leave early as I had my daughter with me, and she wanted to go home quite soon. She's only Three, so naturally this was to be expected. What stunned me later was that when we came home she told me that it just didn't feel right to go fishing today, and that she didn't feel well being on the ice. It is not that she doesn't like fishing, because she was with us out on Friday, and loved it. In fact she hasn't spoken about anything else since. Well, Sonia wanted to update me on how her day had been. She had caught a few eating size perch, and a few small ones. Later Modi had showed up, and he had told Sonia that he wanted to try for Arctic Char . Sonia had been wanting to try for Arctic char as well. She had not got a chance to fish for them much this season, and had barely caught enough fish for a morning snack. Not that that had meant anything the main point about fishing is to get out in to nature, and just enjoy the day. This is where all problems are solved, and what gives ut the therapy needed to survive an otherwise hectic life.

Just about every angler is out trying to catch the biggest fish possible for the species he or she is fishing for. For me it is not about that. Big fish are fun, but in my eyes they are to be protected, and let go. A 1 kg (2.2lb) perch is around ten years old, and has the genes to grow big. Maybe even to grow faster than the rest of his species, and maybe even the genes to grow bigger than the rest of his species. A fish like that deserves to breed and spread it's genes. We humans defy the rules of nature by targeting the biggest fish first. This has resulted in various species not longer growing to their full potential. It is starting to get so bad that we are even changing the genes of the fish. The Scientists call it human caused evolution. For instance, the cod in the Atlantic ocean are spawning at an earlier age that they did 100 years ago. Their maximum size is 45 cm shorter than it was 100 years ago. Another factor with fish that adapt to humans targeting the large fish is that they start to spawn more often. The entire west coast of Norway has thousands of ponds and lakes with brown trout. Normally Brown trout spawn every 2-3 years, and start spawning at an age of 4-5 years. In the over populated lakes on the west coast of Norway the fish spawn every year, and start spawning at an age of 3. Maximum age for a trout is around 40 years. In the over populated lakes the maximum age is around 7 years. Several hundred years of heavy fishing with nets is the cause, combined with the fact that there aren't any other predator fish in these lakes. They are usually populated only with Trout, or Trout and Arctic Char.

Even if the winter has been a bit too warm compared to what's normal here, we have had some nice weather, and this always gets me to long for some fishing. I know I should be staying at home finishing off orders, but I can't help it. i got to go catch some fish, so lately I have been working early in the morning, and late in the evening, and running off fishing during the day. For some time Sonia and I had been talking about testing out Digertjärn, and exploring the fishing spots there better, so today we decided to start our day there.

As we all know, Friday the 13'th is supposed to be an unlucky day. Today it was just that in a funny and irritating way that just made me laugh and enjoy the day so much more. We had had a couple days of snowy and some warm weather, and today the winter came back. With the skies clearing up and the temperatures dropping, Sonia and I decided to try a different place.

My reasons for choosing a different lake where several, but mainly that I was getting sick of key members in the local fishing club fishing several times the quota in Hundsjön and then posting the fish for sale on the internet. I can understand a child getting carried away, but a grown couple where both are front figures in the local fishing club, and both working full time and no need for the fish for their dinner table, acting like common poachers. Another reason was that I wanted to try a lake more challenging. Svartsjön in Ängesjö is just that.